Slowly Gathering Steam...
Tonight there were a few more guys out, a few more of the in-season regulars, which made for a legit ride. On the flip side, a few were clearly knackered from the Natchaug Epic gravel ride over the weekend, which put a dent in the willingness to chase once it got down to brass tacks.
Turner French set the early tone. Steve B was in the mix, along with Sean Maher. A sharp surge up South Brooksvale from Turner nearly opened a gap, but instead turned into a wake-up call for the group. The pace stayed hot thanks to Turner and a new rider Sean H(urley).
The tempo stayed high onto Mountain Road. Then Hunter P hit the overtake button and launched on the first uphill. Things cooled briefly until Steve B lit it up with a hard attack about a kilometer before the light. Turner, Steffen H, and Hunter P shared the load to reel it back in. Not that it mattered—the light was red anyway.
Onto Moss Farms, where Turner and Steve B kept things spicy at the front. Heading into the chicane, Turner, Hacker, and Hunter P punched through the corner with intent. A small gap formed heading up Jarvis to the intersection at Marion. Little T added a solid pull and that was the spark. A group of six was away.
Turner French, Steve B, Hunter P, Steffen H, Hacker, and Little T.
Behind them, the Cheshire crew let the gap stretch. Sean Maher opted not to chase, and the move was gone by the turn into the short loop. A few guys traded pulls through the industrial park, but the breakaway was clicking. Smooth rotations, solid power. The gap held at 15 to 20 seconds.
It started to come down slightly as the break eased up near the Route 10 crossing. That didn’t last. Hunter P and Steve B turned the screws again. The break made the light. The pack got stuck at red. That was it. Curtains. Breakaway gone.
Up front, Steve B rolled over the top of the greenhouse sprint uncontested. The group kept it steady, even on the climbs. Until Tuttle.
Steve B launched a hard attack. Turner French and Hunter P had to jump to bring it back. That gave Steffen H and Hacker just enough space to slip away on the Tuttle backside descent. Steve B hit the gas again to close it down, setting up a fast and furious final.
It all came back together with 500 meters to go. Hunter P kicked first and held it to the line with a comfortable gap over Little T.
